We Drive This Road Together
by LoveIsAlwaysLouder
Summary: It's been a long journey for Zig and Maya to get to where they are today. But will a road trip to California change the dynamics of their relationship once again? How long can you be just friends with someone you love?


WDTRT Chapter 1

 _I know i have so many other stories i should be updating but i feel really stunted with them so i thought it would try my hand at this and see if i can clear my head. I don't know if anyone reads degrassi fanfiction anymore but it's where i got my start and i love Zaya! So maybe no one will read this but it can just be a nice passion project for me._

Every morning Maya expected to wake up and feel different. She was finally finished with high school. Wasn't this the moment that her real life was supposed to start? But still every morning she opened her eyes and felt the same. It probably wasn't helping that every morning she padded down the stairs to the kitchen to find her sister Katie sitting at the island eating a bowl of cereal and scrolling through instagram on her phone.

Having her sister home for the summer after so much time in California almost transported Maya back to the years before when they all lived under the same roof. It was like she was in the 8th grade again, back when the greatest tragedy of her life was the day one of her cello strings broke before a performance her music teacher was putting on.

She had expressed her thoughts to her sister, and Katie had just smiled at her knowingly.

"The summer after your senior year is like a grey area. You're not in high school anymore, but you haven't started college yet so all that's really left to do is wait. So just try to enjoy yourself." Katie advised.

Maya was trying to do just that. She spent as much time with her sister as she could but Katie was often ducking out the door, lying about her whereabouts but clearly headed to meet up with Jake Martin. The two had only ever been "friends" since graduation as Katie had moved to California and Jake spent a lot of his time bumming around the country, tree planting, forest fighting, and mushroom picking. However, Jake had settled back in Toronto and was once again working with his father to expand their construction business in the green direction.

Katie was headed into her final year at Stanford and was hoping the internship she had landed at the Toronto Star that summer would lead to full time employment once she had her degree. Katie and Jake had met up a few times over the past few years and with the prospect of them both living in the same city approaching fast on the horizon, a possible reunion seemed to be in their future.

Katie still adamantly denied that she and Jake were anything more than friends but every time that Katie returned late at night her hair would be slightly disheveled, her face flushed, and her lips ever so slightly swollen. The one time Jake had come over to the Matlin house to watch a movie the rec room door had been locked and Maya doubted either of them would know the major plot points of the film they had supposedly just enjoyed.

When she wasn't at home with her sister or her mom, Maya was spending a surprising amount of time at the hollingsworth house. While Miles and Winston had left for Europe but Frankie was prone to hosting people over to the house to use the pool. Frankie would invite Shay, who in turn would bring Tiny, who would invite all his friends, Maya included.

At first Maya had been worried about the awkwardness that might occur at such gatherings. Her friends and acquaintances were for the most part all coupled up. Grace and Jonah were still in their disgusting lovey dovey face of their relationship, Tiny and Shay were spending all their time together before Tiny left for Caltech in the fall. Lola and Saad were what? Dating? Maya didn't really know with that one. Zoe and Raasa were happy. The only person who was really single was Frankie, and Maya had never been that close with the younger girl.

Then there was Zig. Zig, who was one of her best friends. Zig, who knew her better than almost anyone else. Zig, who she used to love. Zig, who she maybe still did. Zig, whose ex girlfriend had been committed to treatment only a few weeks before.

Maya wasn't sure where she stood with Zig. She was glad they were friends again. She had missed him so much during the time that they weren't speaking. Then there had been that moment at prom. She was sure they were about to kiss, could feel that familiar tingle in her stomach as their lips grew closer together. But then Esme had burst in.

It was hard to be mad as Esme, the girl was clearly sick and in need of help. Having had a similar struggle that very year Maya's heart went out to her. But the anger and panic, and fear Maya had felt when she saw Zig lying unconscious at the bottom of a steep hill, over rode all her rational thoughts.

Her mind instantly snapped to the worst case scenario. Seeing Zigs lifeless form, crumpled below her, for a single second, Maya thought that he was dead. Her whole world dropped out from under her. She got closer and saw the blood dripping down Zigs face, her whole body felt numb as her vision began to fuzz around the edges.

She had never felt more relieved in her life then when Zig began to stir. She let out a breath that had been trapped in her chest. Suddenly a wave of guilt hit her. She had just had a tiny insight into how Zig must have felt when he found her OD'd. Only she had experienced a flash of that pain. Zig had had to suffer through the wait from the ambulance, the ride to the hospital, the torturous time in the waiting room, not knowing if she was going to live or die. Maya knew she would carry that guilt with her.

Zig had hurt her in the past, and she knew that she had hurt him. But she cared about him so much, and she knew he felt the same about her. What their future held was up in the air. Right now they were friends, but Maya didn't know if she could stay just friends with him. At least not for long.


End file.
